The Gore Example: Does the Democratic Establishment Get the Traditional Media Problem?

Which of the following is more important:

a) The deceptive and intentionally vague testimony of a judge who could shape America's future
b) The tears of his wife

a) A missing girl in Aruba
b) The brazen outing of a covert CIA operative

a) A major speech by a former Vice-President of the United States accusing George W. Bush of breaking the law
b) An overturned tanker truck on a New York highway

Al Gore delivers a scathing indictment of Bush's power-grab. Flipping on the cable nets, CNN, MSNBC and FOX are covering 'breaking' news: an overturned tanker truck on a New York highway. This after a week of roadblock coverage of Bush's worn-out terror speeches.

THIS is the Democrats' problem. Notwithstanding a cacophony of rightwing voices assailing the "liberal" media, the Dem establishment needs to understand that if it doesn't go after the media institutionally, things simply will not change. But don't hold your breath waiting for them to get it... As I said last week, "the intricate interplay of Republican persuasion tactics, media story-telling, and 21st century information flow seems beyond the ken of most Democratic strategists and leaders. The hellish reality progressive bloggers have acknowledged and internalized is still alien to the party establishment. Dem strategy is still two parts hackneyed sloganeering and one part befuddlement over the stifling of their message."